Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1887-03-31
From our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter,
WASHINGTON. Mar. 81, 1857.

Breaks in the Cabinet. the still headless
Treasury Department, Speaker Carli>lc's
refusal Of that portfolio, the incomplcted
Interstate Commerce Commission, and the
dangerous Illness Of the new Recorder of
Deeds Mr.. Trottcr. a"e some Of the things
that have happened and been talked
about at the Capital during tn, past week
On Friday the President celebrated his
flfiieth birthday in a very quiet manner
He received birthday cards and foral tri-
butcS and congratulations in great quan-
titles. but he attended to h'- official duties
in the morning and received the usual CON
course of people in the east room at one
O'Clock In the evening he went to the
theatre uuaccompanicd by Mrs Cleveland
who is in mourning now for her grand
mother
The habit of duplicating pay accounts by
army officers has received a fresh impulse
and i becoming epidemic. The latest ac-
ce>~ion to the ranks Of military financial
crooks i Lielt Wilcox. 7th cavalry, who
was arrested in s.. Louis, and sent to Fort
Smelling to De court -martialcd This makes
five army officers who have gone wrong
within the past year. All these cases oc-
carred west of the Mississippi. The prac-
teal descrtion IF five officers makes even a
worse showing than the annual desertion
Of per cent. of the enlisted men Of the
army for the latter are compelled
to serve the first six months without
pay
The bringing OF country lawyer from
Wisconsin to be chief clerk OF the Post OF
fice Department illustrates the civil service
leform farce as it i now played. II IN"
competitive examination system i worth
anything, its fruits must De the develop
mcnt from within the depar ,ments Of the
best men for chief clerkshp> and other
places where the most perfect knowledge
of the business Of the bureau i required
An officer brought in from outside the de-
par,mcnt is necessarily for a long time
mere figure head, who i, compelled TO do
pend upon the skill. experience and fidelity
Of his subordinate-.
held here during the past week, which was
attended by the superintendent and many
tcac lers from all parts of the country, one
Of the prominent educators said, in the
study Of the question Of civil service re-
form he had been struck with it- appli-
cation to the public school system. The
spoils system, of which 50 much was said
in politics had made is appearance in the
schools. Places on the boards of educa-
tion were sought for the money in them.
Ii it were the purchase of site, the sell
ection OF plan, or the giving Of con
tract, it was not the most suitable site, or
the best plan or the most advantageous
contract that controlled the selection, but
the per cent. the members of the board
were TO get from ,he transaction.
Washing IN is to have new institution
namely bureau Of information, which
VIII make it business, for modera'e
fee, to answer all questions that may he
sent to it-lterary scientific, depar, men
tai, political, etc. On this its people are
to be congratulated as well as members of
Congress. The latter justly complain that
their time is continually taken up in look
ing after trifing matters for their con
stitucntS, and citizens are constantly ap-
piled TO by acquaintances in different parts
of the country for information obtainable
here. Such bureau here could perform
great and useful service to the people
throughout the country, for the National
Capital possesses unequaled sources of
knowledge.
This reminds me of the sorrows OF a
United States consul at one of the South
American ports, who has been pouring out
his healt by letter to friend in this city.
In the first place he said he was not allow
ed to keep a clerk, yet almost every mail
b b,ought letters without stamps for return
POSTAGE asking for Information. There
were letters wanting to know about that
country and letters from naval officers re-
questng different commissions. A mer-
chant writes to get the commercial stand
ing of various parties, and Others write for
a complete list of the business houses in
Brazil. One man writes to inquire as to
the will of some one who might have died
i'll the Argentine Republic or Uruguay
about the year 1870, although it might
have been earlier or later than that.
The poor man thinks the consuls life is
anything but happy one and says he will
be obliged to resign soon unless the Gov
ernment does something for his relief. He
says heitries to answer eachlcommunication
to the best of his ability. II his answers
please, lie gets no thanks. If they do not
he gets abuse and threats for not attending
to the writer's business.